


the way back home

by callmemadeleine



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Headcanon, Kidnapping, The Hale Fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-13 20:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11767950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callmemadeleine/pseuds/callmemadeleine
Summary: Based on the headcanon:"I've been thiking... what if Cora was kidnapped by hunters when she got out, and another pack rescued her. They don't know if there's anyone left from her pack because Cora it's too distrusting and doesn't say she's a Hale, nor where she comes from, so they adopt her and make a place for her in the pack. When Cora hears there's a new Alpha in BH, tells them she has to go, but promises to come back."Because my brain wouldn't let it go.





	the way back home

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know how to tag most things, but there are not explicit descriptions of violence.
> 
> This is the very first time I write something this long in English. It isn’t my first language, so any typos or anything you think I should correct, you can say so in the comments :)

Everything happens too fast.

 

Cora is one moment picking pieces of Lego off the floor like Mom ordered to, and the next there's an explosion and half the house is on fire. Seconds later she's being dragged by Mark all the way down the stairs.

 

The whole kitchen area and part of the living room are now burning. Cora hears Peter yell and Dad calling them from the basement.

 

Mark runs to the fire alarm control panel and punches the buttons. “What the fuck?”

 

The fire burns through the carpeted floors and reaches the main stairs. Cora runs to Mark before the ceiling starts to collapse.

 

“Mom!”

 

Cora can barely see and there's no oxygen to breath in here breath. Mark opens the front gets carries her a few steps. Cora senses the ash barrier before Mark sees it.

 

Mark breaks through, grabs her hand and they run to the side of the house where hut is. He has a plan, Cora thinks, trying to regain control over her panic. Her brother knows what to do. It's going to be okay.

 

Except they didn't expect to find there two hunters pointing guns at them.

 

Mark gets in front of Cora, his larger body shielding her smaller one, even though it would take one bullet to kill him.

 

They can hear wails and screams, the household still collapsing. And why are they still o the house? Why are they not in the tunnels?

 

“You're a human.” one of the hunters say.

 

“We didn't do anything. You're breaking the code.”

 

Mark voice is soft and composed. He's scared, though; Cora can hear his fast heartbeat and feel the tremors of his body. Cora wished she could stop crying, that she could attack them, but she's too afraid to move.

 

“Well, kid, you'll see.” the other man says “We're getting paid to do this job right.”

 

When he fires his arm Cora closes her eyes and stop breathing, she feels Mark's body fall limp and lifeless on the wooden floor.

 

The wail she lets out is only half human. Cora falls to her knees and tries to hide her wolfed out face.

 

“She's a fucking bitch.” Cora hears one of them say. “We should take her with Kate.”

 

“Kate would kill her, and that'd be a waste.” she can feel the hunters gazes on her. “I know a guy that would pay good money for her.”

  
  
  
  
  


Cora doesn't know where they're going to take her, but she cooperates. Uncle Peter told her once that being smart is better than being aggressive, that sometimes being caught is better than being dead. _There’s always a way out, just look for blind spots, use whatever weaknesses you find_. She doesn't know how to do that; the hunters have guns and wolfsbane ammo, they don't seem very weak.

 

They chain her to the back of a van. Cora tries to break them as soon as they start riding. She doesn't know what they're made of, but she can't take them off. She tries for a while until her arms feel heavy and sore. The more she looks around, the more anxious and desperate she gets, there's nothing but guns and a few cardboards; there are no windows except for the little one behind front seats.

 

Cora tries to think what would Mark do, what would Peter do, what would Laura... Would Laura be alive? And Derek? They weren't in the house when the fire started. What if the hunter killed them like they had killed Mark? Cora can't control her sobs when she thinks of all her pack being dead.

 

Then it hits her. The time Laura found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, she made a hole on the guy's car's door with her claws.

 

The van doesn't seem reinforced.  _ So that's their weakness _ .

 

She scoots closer to her left and rips the rubber cover. The hunters are still talking, so she begins to claw the steel carefully. Every time the van stops, she fumbles to cover the hole with one of the cardboards. Cora stay alert to the passing cars she hears, she can't smell much apart from the smoke on her clothes. On their last stop, the driver's door opens and Cora is relieved she ripped the hole on the other side. The other hunter opens the window behind her and says “Behave, and maybe you'll get dinner.”

 

Cora stays still until the driver comes back and gets in. “He's not buying.” he says.

 

“What now?”

 

One of them sights. The car starts and Cora feels her whole body freeze with dread. They're going to kill her now that she's of no use for them. She wants to scream and call for help, but who’s out there to hear? That would probably end with the hunters killing her sooner rather than later.

 

Cora tries to regulate her breathing so she can focus on the noises outside; she hears a car coming near by, but not near enough; there's a chance the hunters haven't seen it. The car stays behind them a few miles. Cora moves the cardboard and tears the steel wall faster, until her hands are bleeding, and the hole is so big that anyone would notice. The van stops.

 

The hunters get out, and one of them curses when sees the mauled side. Cora hears the car approaching faster as the other hunter the back door open.

 

“We can't ride with that fucking hole there.” says the man at the side of the van.

 

“I guess we'll have to kill you, then.”

 

“Someone's coming.”

 

The hunter moves his hand to wield the gun on his waist. Cora doesn't take her eyes off the hunter. The car stop in front of the van and someone gets out.

 

“Need help?” Cora hears a male voice.

 

“We got it. Thanks.”

 

The hunter shuts the door of the back.

 

_ They're going to kill him _ , she thinks,  _ and then they're going to kill  _ me.

 

Cora can only stay still the fight starts; she hears punches, bone cracking, a scream, a gunshot, more punches and something hit the floor. When the noises stop, she sucks in a harsh breath, tears fall off her eyes. The door opens again and a stranger man climbs the back of the van.

 

He's human.

 

The man gets close enough for her to scent, but not touch. Cora can smell sweat and blood, mud and basil.

 

He crouches in front of her. Cora notices the keys in his trembling hands. “Hi.” he finally says “My name is Samuel.” He lifts the keys. “I won't hurt you. But I need to know you won't hurt me either.”

 

Cora's eyes fix on his face, he has dark hairs covering his forehead and tired eyes, his heartbeat is fast, but steady. She stares awhile and Samuel sighs.

 

“Look, I know they're… uhm.” he glances at the side where Cora supposes are the men lying unconscious. “So I guess you are a…”

 

She thinks this is her best chance to get away, even if the human tries something, she can fight and run when she's not chained, so she extends her legs and Samuel unlocks the restraints on her feet and then the ones on her wrists.

 

“We'll take you back to your pack, but I need to report to my alpha first.”

 

Cora keeps checking his heartbeat as they get in Samuel's car, and leave the hunters behind. She gets in the back seat and relaxes a little when the human keeps the windows open and the doors unlocked.

 

There's a blanket in the seat that smells like new born baby. “You're human.” Cora says, voice raw and broken. She's so thirsty.

 

Samuel meets her eyes through the rear rearview mirror. “Yes.” he says. “But humans can be pack too.”

 

“My brother was human.” Cora knows she shouldn't have said that, but she's too exhausted to care.

 

She doesn't intend fall asleep either.

  
  
  
  
  


A hand touches her shoulder and Cora clutches the foreign arm with extended claws. Her eyes glow and a pair of red eyes glow back.

 

“It's okay, honey. You're safe.” says the alpha.

 

It's a woman.  _ Like Mom _ Cora thinks. But no. This alpha is younger, with tanned skin and dark brown hair. She removes her hand first and Cora lets her go before crawling away in the seat.

 

“I know you're scared.” the alpha says in a soft voice. “But I promise we just want to help you.”

 

The woman seems honest enough. Cora doesn't know how they could help her, she has no one to go to, she doesn't know where she is, if someone else survived the fire, nor if the hunters are still lurking in Beacon Hills. Cora lets the woman talk her down and coax her out of the car and into the house. She doesn't touch Cora again.

 

There are other people in the house when they enter. Cora doesn't see Samuel, she finds a kid and a human man setting the table.

 

“I'm Andrea.” the alpha says. “That's my husband, Norman; and my son, Santiago.”

 

Cora doesn't say her name and they don't ask. Andrea offers the bathroom for a shower after she picks some clothes for her.

 

Cora doesn't close the bathroom's door. She hears the family eat while she showers and the feeling of sadness strikes her right away. Her mom never let them eat until everyone was sit at the table. But now Mom and Dad and Mark and everyone else is dead…

 

She takes a few deep breaths and dies her face again with the towel. When she gets out, dressed in clothes that smell fresh and clean, Andrea is in the kitchen, breastfeeding a baby. The alpha looks at her and smiles.

 

The dinner is pork ribs and potatoes. Cora eats everything and they don't talk. Andrea lulls the baby  – “ _ her name is Camila” _ _ – _ to sleep and Cora follows her to a bedroom with a bed and a crib. “You can sleep on the bed.” she says, putting the baby on the crib. “It's Santiago's, but he'll sleep with Samuel.”

 

Cora lies awake, considering the chances she has of running away without the family noticing. She falls asleep again listening to Camila's breathing.

  
  


They talk in the morning, after Cora wakes up in time to help with lunch, and finds out she's alone with Andrea and her baby. She thanks the alpha for the dinner, just like Mom would have wanted her to.

 

“My name is Cora.” she says.

 

Andrea smiles. “Just Cora?”

 

Cora nods and Andrea doesn't push her. 

 

Andrea tells Cora she's the youngest of three siblings and the only werewolf. Samuel is the eldest and their other brother is getting his law degree in Philadelphia. She talks about how she became and alpha after her father passed away, and how they had to move from Pennsylvania because she had a hard time controlling her new power.

 

Cora wonders if someone from her pack is still alive. Maybe they inherited the alpha spark. She can't be the only Hale alive if it didn't go to her. But what if whoever that is now alpha was captured like she was? She can't risk going back.

 

When Andrea asks her if she has a pack, Cora doesn't answer.

  
  
  
  
  


 

It's a couple months after Samuel rescued Cora that Andrea asks over dinner if she'd like to become part of the Torres family.

 

Cora gapes.

 

She thinks at least one of them will oppose. Because the house it's too small, with three bedrooms and only one bathroom; because they can barely afford food. Cora remembers the times Norman and Samuel didn't eat meat with their dinner so the children could have it, and how Andrea had to get a job so they could afford a new bed and clothes for Cora. But never once Cora heard them complain.

 

The Hales never had to struggle with money, and they were a larger pack. Uncle Oliver used to tell her that pack and family always make sacrifices and look after each other. That's what the Torres pack has been doing.

 

The alpha never forced her to stay, but since the first night, Cora didn't want to leave.

 

“Am I pack?” Cora asks in a soft whisper. Santiago stops his chants of joy and everyone turns to look at her.

 

“Of course, Cora.” Samuel reaches and squeezes her shoulder. He's been doing it for a while now. “We just want to officially make you part of our family.”

 

Cora gives everyone a hug before going to bed.

  
  
  
  
  


There are moments when Cora feels like she's living someone else's life.

 

She never tells the Torres where she comes from, nor who were they family and pack, but they're always there in her mind. When Andrea teaches her Spanish, she remembers that Derek and Peter were huge nerds about languages. When Santiago plays catch with her, she remembers Laura loved playing frisbee.

 

Samuel teaches her kick boxing and Cora remembers of Uncle Oliver teaching Peter to not use all his force in a punch. Norman always takes her to pick berries for the preserves, and she remembers her parents baking apple pies and banana bread to feed the whole town every holiday.

 

When Camila has bad dreams, she crawls into Cora's bed, like Cora used to crawl into Mark's.

 

The Torres get under her skin. But something's always missing.

 

They feel like pack and family, but no matter how comfortable and grateful she's with them, no matter what she does or what they do, they don't exactly feel like  _ home. _

  
  
  
  
  


“Pensé que no había lobos en California.” Andrea frowns.

 

It's not a surprise to Cora that Andrea never knew of other packs. They were an isolated pack in Churchill, that hadn't really interacted with other werewolves until they moved to Ecuador two years after adopting Cora. Alicia, Norman's aunt, has been their emissary since then.

 

“Hubo un incendio hace años y murió casi toda la familia.” Alicia explains “Pero parece que uno sobrevivió y ahora es el alfa.”

 

“¿Y ha vuelto?” Cora asks.

 

“Eso dicen.”

 

That does surprises Cora.

 

An alpha in Beacon Hills that survived the fire. Could it be Laura? Derek? Peter?

 

Cora's sitting on the porch when Andrea finds her later, looking at the triskelion tattoo on her right foot.

 

“You know,” Andrea starts as she sits next to her. “I used to wonder how you got kidnapped by those hunters. I didn't know if you'd ran from your home, and why was nobody looking for you.”

 

Cora used to wonder the same.

 

“When Samuel told me you ripped a hole in their car.” Andrea smiles. “You were a little girl, but you weren't any less brave and smart than you are now.”

 

Cora never asked what happened with the hunters, she guessed Samuel took care of it.

 

“I'm glad Samuel found you.” Andrea says, wrapping her arms around Cora and giving her a tight hug. “And I'm glad you stayed.”

 

Cora squeezes back. “I'm glad you took me in.”

 

“I'm proud of you, Cora. I know they'd be proud too.”

 

When they pull apart, Cora dries her cheeks with her sleeve and gives Andrea a watery smile. Andrea keeps her hand on Cora's shoulder. “It's okay if you go. I understand you need your closure.”

 

“Thank you, alpha.”

 

She had never once called Andrea “alpha”, but she had never called her mother “alpha” either; the word had always seemed a little odd. Now, though, it feels right.

 

When Cora tells the rest of the family that she has to go, Alicia and Samuel hugs her almost as tight as Andrea, Norman tells her to be careful, Camila cries and Santiago makes Cora promise she'll call everyday. Cora doesn't say she'll come back, but her alpha  _ knows _ .

 

Cora parts knowing, too, that she'll be home soon.

**Author's Note:**

> "Pensé que no había lobos en California." = I thought there were no wolves in California.  
> “Hubo un incendio hace años y murió casi toda la familia.” = There was a fire and most of the family died.  
> “Pero parece que uno sobrevivió y ahora es el alfa.” = But it seems like someone survived and is now the alpha.  
> "¿Y ha vuelto?" = And he's back?  
> "Eso dicen." = That's what they say.


End file.
